This write-up describes what to write & include in your email to AGD Support.
If you need help using SecureMail to view or send an encrypted email, see How to send a secure email to AGD Support.
1. Send it using SecureMail.
Login to the SecureMail portal:
https://ppsecuremail.state.ma.us/encrypt
. Make sure to send it to AGD.Support@massmail.state.ma.us (don't forget "massmail").
2. Subject Line: unique, specific, relevant
Include your organization name or abbreviation in the Subject Line.
YOUR_ORGANIZATION: a headline that is short, clear, & descriptive
This need not be too fussy or formal. It's OK to abbreviate your organization. Some sample Subject Lines:
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Xample Community AFC: New User Accounts Requested
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Xample: User gets error message trying to update consumer
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Xample AFC: MDS-HC missing from create assessment dropdown
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SPC-GAFC: Activity&Referral has disappeared
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FFP AFC: User is locked out after entering 4x bad password
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XAMPLE: SAMS does not load from Portal page
3. Only one (1) question/ request/ problem/ category per email.
If at all possible, try to use separate messages for different topics or categories. Depending on your issue, we may assign ownership to different people.
For example, don't include User Account Requests with a report of a specific technical problem.
However, if you really don't know how to begin, do your best. We may revise the subject on our reply, or split your message into more than one thread to resolve.
4. Start with a summary
Don’t "bury the lede".
Tell us up-front why you are writing: we need the who, what, when, where, & how. If you are forwarding an email exchange to illustrate a point or situation, use highlighting to emphasize, or cut out extraneous details.
Supporting information is always useful, but it can be challenging to find a needle in a haystack.
5. Be specific!
We can resolve your problem much faster if you give us all the particulars.
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If a particular user experienced a problem, please indicate the UserID.
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If you have an issue or question regarding a specific consumer, please tell us the consumer's SAMS consumer_ID and the consumer's initials. Do NOT use consumer names or other identifiers such as MassHealth number, even in secure email.
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Does your question refer to an Assessment? If there is more than one for that consumer, please tell us which one.
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Does your question refer to anEnrollment, File Attachment, Service Order, or Activity & Referral?
Tell us exactly what you're talking about.
6. Provide context & history, if possible.
Tell us what the User was trying to do, the specific steps the User actually took, what the User expected, and specifically what the system did. Did a system message appear? What did it say?Repeatability: Does the problem repeat after logout/ login? Does the problem repeat for all of your users, or for all consumers? Does the problem repeat after a Silverlight refresh?
7. Screenshots!
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Chances are, for any problem you might report, SAMS will tell you something in a message, or your screen will be organized in a way that you did not expect. Maybe there's a missing button, or an extra button, or a drop-down is empty.
Take pictures!
As Point-person, you may need to try the operation yourself so you can produce screenshots.
You will need to create a Word or PowerPoint or PDF document, paste in your screen captures. Attach and send via SecureMail with your issue report. Find out how to create a screenshot document.
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